North American Van Lines Blog

Now that you've moved into your new home and your moving company has dropped off all your belongings, you may be wondering how you're going to use your abundance of space. If you have a spare room, like a basement that you don't know what to do with, this could be the perfect spot for a family game room. Here are a few tips to help the space become a fun and functional part of your house.

Create Specific Zones For Each Activity

Because your game room will be used for multiple activities, designing a versatile floor plan is a must to accommodate your family's needs. Consider utilizing a sectional couch to create a small media area, while using other features like area rugs and coffee tables to separate other spaces.

Add A Focal Point

Whether your family members are fans of pool, air hockey or foosball, including one of these tables in your room will add an instant focal point and allow you to plan out the space more effectively.

Install A Stereo System

Along with your TV, video games and other electronics in your game room, installing a stereo system may be another wise choice. This will give you background music for get-togethers or simply a way to unwind after a long day. Consider purchasing an A/V receiver to sync up all of your devices and further streamline the look of your game room. 

When you've hired a moving company and you're trying to decide what will stay and go in your current home, your furniture will be a major focus. If you're going to be downsizing to a smaller home in the coming months, investing in a few space-saving furnishings could be very beneficial in creating more usable living space. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind when you're putting together your gathering space.

Sectional couches

These sofas are great options for small living rooms and can be placed in a corner of the room to create more space. They're also very versatile and can be found in a variety of sizes to suit the nature of the room.

A dual-purpose ottoman

A coffee table is a staple in most living rooms, but it may be a waste of space if it doesn't provide any storage. Consider investing in a storage ottoman - this can provide additional space for blankets and pillows, and you can place small trays on top to have it double as a coffee table when entertaining.

Add floating wall shelves

Instead of using a bulky bookcase to store items, consider installing a few floating wall shelves in your living room instead. These items will drill directly into your wall and will allow you to use any wall in your home as a potential storage spot. Their slim profiles will also create the illusion of more space. 

Now that your moving company has gone and you're planning out your home's interior design, one place that may need immediate attention is your bathroom. With the holiday season on the horizon, this room will see a lot of action in the coming months, and improving its aesthetic can work wonders for your home's decorative scheme. Here are a few easy ways to improve the look of your washroom without performing extensive remodeling.

1. Use LED Lighting. To save a bit of money on your utility bills and give your space a touch of modern flair, go with LED lights. You can use them as accent lighting behind a bathroom mirror to create an elegant backsplash or to replace your existing fixtures to reduce your carbon footprint 

2. Opt For Creative Storage. Clutter is your worst enemy in a bathroom, as extraneous items can make the room feel much smaller. Consider using baskets, mason jars and anything else you may have around the house to compartmentalize your belongings and make the space look more streamlined.

3. Add A Seasonal Centerpiece. If you have a bit of bare space on your countertop, put together a series of candles, seasonal accents and other items to create an instant focal point. Next to your centerpiece, add a few soaps, lotions and other toiletries that your guests can use over the holiday season. Not only will this tie your interior design together, but it will make the room more functional. 

When you make the decision to put your home on the market, there are a variety of tasks you'll need to perform before hiring a moving company and transitioning into your next home. Selling your home as quickly as possible is surely one of your top priorities, and finding ways to make your house more attractive to prospective buyers will make that happen. Consider the following ways to improve the look of your home inside and out to close the deal far sooner.

Use Home Staging

Because the majority of your belongings will be heading to your new house in a short time, it's vital to create a lived-in environment that can show potential buyers what the home would look like under normal conditions. HGTV suggests using minimal furnishings to illuminate the dimensions of the living areas and a neutral color scheme to showcase how versatile the spaces can be.

 Hire A Landscaper

First impressions mean everything in the real estate market, so if your home boasts a beautiful garden, a well-manicured lawn and other impressive features, this may tip the scales in your favor.

Fix Any Nagging Issues

According to HomeInsight.com, any small issues that you've been putting off, from a loose window screen to a closet door that's off its track, should be taken care of. Prospective buyers who perform close inspections of your home won't like to see these signs of disrepair, so make sure these are taken care of before hosting visitors. 

When your moving company has gone and you finally feel like you've settled into your new home, it's time to take a break from unpacking and start to look into the essential businesses and services that your community offers. If you're a dog owner, eventually you'll have to find a groomer in your new town who can care for your pooch's coat and improve his or her quality of life. Here are a few ways to narrow down your options and get started off on the right foot.

What is your groomer's level of expertise?

Depending on which state you live in, some will require groomers to hold certifications from reputable organizations like the National Dog Groomers Association of America (NDGAA). According to RaisingSpot.com, you should also inquire about your groomer's level of experience, whether he or she specializes in certain breeds and what kinds of regular health checks are performed during each visit.

What does the grooming facility look like?

You'd be surprised by how much you can find out by simply visiting a grooming facility to get a sense of the business' level of professionalism. The Humane Society of the United States suggests looking for a standard of cleanliness, cages that can accommodate a variety of breeds and studying the demeanor of the groomer and staff when they're working with the canines 

What should you bring along?

If your groomer would like to see vaccination or medical history, this is a good sign that the business is organized and has a high standard of care. Bring any necessary dog information along when you're close to choosing a dog groomer in your new town.

Moving to the big city can be a huge undertaking, and one that can be made even worse if your new apartment building doesn't have an elevator. Unless you're making the big bucks, most young tenants will have to deal with smaller apartments and fewer amenities, but moving with a stairwell can be a particularly tricky process. Here are a few tips to make your urban move a success without having to break the bank.

Hire A Moving Company For Several Hours

Whether you have a whole team of friends helping you out or just your fellow roommates, you may need help with larger items like couches, TVs, kitchen appliances and bookcases. One way you can save a bit of money and spare yourself some grief is to hire movers for two or three hours. They can handle the massive furnishings and give you and your crew time to organize your smaller belongings.

Safeguard Your Furniture

While you may have hired moving professionals, you'll still need to protect your furnishings from damage in transport and on the day of your move. Consider wrapping up the bottoms of chair legs and the sides of couches with padding to ensure that your items are more comfortable to move up several flights of stairs and won't be damaged by coming into contact with the walls or railings.

Take Frequent Breaks!

Climbing stairs all day could seriously sap your energy, so make sure you and your movers prepare beforehand. Bring plenty of bottled water and a lunch - you'll need all the energy possible for another trip up the stairs. 

If you're going to be moving into a new home as the holiday season approaches, finding a way to quickly put your house into a festive state of mind may be a major undertaking. With all of your holiday supplies being brought in by a moving company, you may not want to add excess clutter to your home when there's still so much more to prepare. Consider these three quick fixes that can help you turn your new house into a welcoming home.

1. Create a seasonal centerpiece. Whether you place one on your dining room table or in your living room, centerpieces are some of the easiest ways to spruce up your home for a new season. Put together a few holiday accents like pinecones, mistletoe, bits of holly and other pops of color on a plate to jazz up any room in your home. 

2. Decorate with candles. If you're looking for something a bit less expensive, a selection of tea lights always works well, suggests HGTV. Use them to decorate your mantle, window sills and other focal points in your home to introduce a bit of warmth during the winter.

3. Opt for natural accents. According to Real Simple Magazine, you can gain inspiration just by taking a trip down the produce aisle. Glass containers filled with apples, pears or cranberries, as well as large dishes with mixed nuts, are fabulous pieces of décor that will introduce warm hues into your holiday gatherings, and your guests can snack on them if they like!

When you and your family make the decision to move to a new town or state, making a plan for such an undertaking should proceed from the start. Finding a reliable moving company, organizing your personal belongings and working with realtors can be quite an undertaking, and you don't want to leave anything until the last minute. Consider a few of these helpful tips that could make your move more efficient and take some of the stress out of the job.

1. Gather Together Cardboard Boxes. According to TLC, one of your biggest jobs will be finding boxes to accommodate your personal belongings. This can be accomplished inexpensively by visiting local grocery stores and asking to pick up egg boxes or asking your friends and neighbors for any extras they may have lying around their homes. Looking for boxes in uniform sizes may be the best way to go, as they will be easier to pack into a rental truck.

2. Clear Your Home of Unwanted Items. Taking an inventory of everything you have to move is a vital step in the process, and it's also a welcome opportunity to get rid of anything you won't need in your new home. This is also a great time to begin packing up non-essential items that you'll need in your next home, but not on a day-to-day basis.

3. Prepare Your New Home's Utilities. After going through the process of moving, the last thing you want is to go to your new home without working utilities. Movearoo.com suggests contacting your electrical and heating services at least a month in advance to ensure that everything is up and running when it's time to spend your first night in your new abode.

Because you don't spend much time in the garage, it's easier to let it go by the wayside when it comes to clutter. Unfortunately, when your garage door is open, that mess that's been building up is there for your neighbors to see. You may want to consider these tips for keeping your space tidy after your moving company has left you to your own devices.

Eliminate Anything Unwanted

The first step to having a clean garage is getting rid of all the unwanted items. Ask your children whether they use the toys that litter your garage or ask yourself which belongings serve a practical purpose. Have a garage sale or donate anything you don't need to charity. Try to schedule a bi-annual "garage cleanse," or make it a monthly tradition.

Utilize Wall Space

The walls of your garage have great storage potential. Put up hooks along the perimeter so you can hang rakes, shovels and brooms. You may also want to install shelving in order to optimize your space - this can be done with a few L-brackets and some pieces of wood.

Designate Space

Designate areas of your garage for certain belongings. For example, the far right corner can be where the sports equipment goes and the far left corner may be used for lawn care equipment. Use masking tape or laminated construction paper to make labels for where things should go so no one forgets.

Now that your moving company has helped you settle into your new digs, your family may be looking to visit you for the holidays. Playing host can be a hard task, especially if you're still in the midst of decorating. Here are a few tips for making the visit go as smoothly as possible.

Put out Slippers

You may want to keep your new floors clean and ask your guests to take off their shoes. WiseBread.com recommends putting out slippers, which you can buy for cheap at Walmart or Target. This will not only demonstrate your welcoming consideration, but it'll add an air of coziness to your home.

Convert Your Rooms

You'll need extra sleeping accommodations, so you might want to start converting any spare rooms into guests' quarters. Look for some old couches or purchase a blow-up mattress or two. You may also want to go shopping for a futon so your guests can sit up and talk and have a place to sleep. For added convenience, put a mini fridge in your guest room that's stocked with beverages.

Plan Fun Activities

Keep your family members on their toes with activities. Look online for places to hang out, like a nearby bowling alley or shopping areas. If the weather permits, set up a volleyball net in the backyard or take the fun indoors with group games like Taboo and Pictionary. At night, play holiday movies, such as A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and A Christmas Story.